Blue Kai Aquatics Is Back!

[Clownfish29]

Doing the lords work!! Thank you - this is definitely an area of unmet need for the hobby. I think anyone that has successfully kept a gig past the first few days or so knows the importance of starting with a healthy, treated specimen.

Question - have you considered any suppliers in Vietnam, and/or can you source gigs from Japan? It seems like they get a lot of the blue ones (my personal favorite), along with some other really vivid colors. And do you plan to propagate them?

Attaching a photo/video of my current big blue.

 

[Blue Kai Aquatics]

Doing the lords work!! Thank you - this is definitely an area of unmet need for the hobby. I think anyone that has successfully kept a gig past the first few days or so knows the importance of starting with a healthy, treated specimen.

Question - have you considered any suppliers in Vietnam, and/or can you source gigs from Japan? It seems like they get a lot of the blue ones (my personal favorite), along with some other really vivid colors. And do you plan to propagate them?

Attaching a photo/video of my current big blue.

sooooo pretty! I can get blue gigs in Indo no problem. I've actually spent a lot of time in Japan over the years. Their prices are basically the equivalent of USD these days minus the exchange rate, plus their collection rules (I believe) is limited similar to Thailand. In fact in Thailand collection of gigs (from what I understand) is actually illegal. I did used to buy gigs from a source that was getting them from Vietnam, but I no longer have that contact. Indo will be my source for the time being. I have a lot of contacts there now.

 

[Blue Kai Aquatics]

Glad to see you back. I think that I got one of...if not the last....gig as you shut down. It is still doing great...although a monster now.

Steve, thinking back, I believe you ended up purchasing the green gig from my personal collection! haha! Here is a pic from over 5 years ago, she has put on some serious weight!!!

 

[Blue Kai Aquatics]

Doing the lords work!! Thank you - this is definitely an area of unmet need for the hobby. I think anyone that has successfully kept a gig past the first few days or so knows the importance of starting with a healthy, treated specimen.

Question - have you considered any suppliers in Vietnam, and/or can you source gigs from Japan? It seems like they get a lot of the blue ones (my personal favorite), along with some other really vivid colors. And do you plan to propagate them?

Attaching a photo/video of my current big blue.

Love that shallow reef!!!!!

 

[Blue Kai Aquatics]

In my personal reef tank I have one small brown gig that I never treated with antibotics. Here is a simple video I made a little while ago talking about the ole boy and waxing poetic. Blue Kai Brown Gig Video

 

[Blue Kai Aquatics]

I leave for Indonesia tomorrow night at 11PM. There is no direct flight to Indo, so I have a 3 hour layover in Taiwan for a total travel time of 25 hours LOL! My first stop is Jakarta where I will visit one exporter then fly to Bali to meet with a second exporter. Over the past month and a half we have been in contact with over 50 exporters with varying success. The 2 we will meet with have been in constant communication and are legitimate and ready to do business. I better start packing!

 

[Blue Kai Aquatics]

Halides are up and running. Wanted to get this done before i left. cable management is meh, but its not a display tank right!?

 

[Ocellaris123]

Good luck on the trip, hopefully you are able to document what you find there on here

 

[D-Nak]

Have a good trip. This could be a game changer.

 

[Blue Kai Aquatics]

Good luck on the trip, hopefully you are able to document what you find there on here

Thanks! That’s the plan! It’ll be fun!

 

[Blue Kai Aquatics]

Let’s go to Indonesia!

 

[dnledman]

I can’t wait to see what you guys have for sale soon. I have a haddoni, mertensi, and Magnifica. Tried a gig and it hasn’t made it, let us know!

 

[braaap]

Very cool. I would love to get one for my tank. But I wouldn't want a tan one lol.

Why Halides? 99% of people have switched to LEDs. Wouldn't it be smarter to hold them under LEDs so they are used to them?

 

[Blue Kai Aquatics]

Very cool. I would love to get one for my tank. But I wouldn't want a tan one lol.

Why Halides? 99% of people have switched to LEDs. Wouldn't it be smarter to hold them under LEDs so they are used to them?

Good question, but considering how customizable LEDs are these days it might be difficult to get any animal used to a particular lighting spectrum before arrival if using LEDs. During treatment some gigs bleach and lose color. In my experience the halide brings the natural color back faster than LEDs. Plus they are easier to photograph under halides too.

 

[Blue Kai Aquatics]

I can’t wait to see what you guys have for sale soon. I have a haddoni, mertensi, and Magnifica. Tried a gig and it hasn’t made it, let us know!

Nice! Hopefully I can find something that you like!

 

[braaap]

Good question, but considering how customizable LEDs are these days it might be difficult to get any animal used to a particular lighting spectrum before arrival if using LEDs. During treatment some gigs bleach and lose color. In my experience the halide brings the natural color back faster than LEDs. Plus they are easier to photograph under halides too.

That is fair for sure. I feel like some of the A8SE lights would cover most LEDs. They are a Radion clone but I get the draw to halides. They are hands down the best lighting out there.

How is the trip going? Any updates?

 

[Blue Kai Aquatics]

That is fair for sure. I feel like some of the A8SE lights would cover most LEDs. They are a Radion clone but I get the draw to halides. They are hands down the best lighting out there.

How is the trip going? Any updates?

I have a meeting later this afternoon with a Jakarta based exporter. We have been talking on and off for about 2 months now. Really nice guy with a small business that has been up and running for about 25 years. Should be exciting. He mentioned previouly to me that he has something like 5000 pounds of indo live rock (LOL) , if any of you are interested in Indo live rock.

 

[Blue Kai Aquatics]

My total travel time (yesterday??) was 25 hours. I have done Japan a few times both from the west coast and now from dallas. At worst, total flight time would have been 16 hours. 25 hours was whole new ballgame!

I did finally get to my Airbnb in Jakarta yesterday and went out for an amazing meal with friends here before passing out at around 7PM.

I woke up around 3am and couldn't go back to sleep. I wandered out of my place and got a few items at this local konbini.

All of this was about $17. Those are all 1st party starbucks coffee cans and yakulk probiotic drinks. In the US the 3 yakult alone would be $17. Things are affordable here for sure!

 

[Blue Kai Aquatics]

First exporter visit yesterday in Jakarta. Great people and amazing hospitality. Today I will be visiting a fish market that apparently doubles as a local"coral/aquarium trade market as well. Our exporter told us that they see some pretty amazing stuff there. I will get some good pictures and post them here later. Image below is of the Jakarta exporter's facility.

 

[Blue Kai Aquatics]

What I am learning from my Jakarta exporter contacts (which have honestly in the last 2-3 days have become very good friends) is that the relationship between importer/exporter appears to be more important than the business itself. A key factor for me wanting to make this trip is to put a face to a name and develop a relationship outside of Whatsapp. Anecdotally I'm understanding that there has been some distrust created over the last few years between the Indo exporters and US importers due to nonpayment from the US side and other scams like that. It's very sad considering what great hospitality I have received visiting here. I am happy I made the trip.

The domestic coral business in Indo is pretty much nonexistent as exporters do not sell to the public and have the market for all ornamental marine livestock collection. This creates small demand (but still a demand) domestically for anyone who wants a personal marine aquarium. I was able to visit a local "fish market" that doubles as a grey market marine aquarium market. I was able to take a picture from the outside, but failed to get any pictures inside. the livestock was the usual fare of what you would expect from a place that 100% of the high end coral being exported abroad. I did see a few very bleached gigs that had light blue feet indicating to me that would color up nicely.

I head to Bali tomorrow. Wish us luck!